It's always great news when Jerry Douglas comes to town. This time, he's coming to the Avalon Theatre in Easton for a show at 8 p.m. Friday along with the Americana laced husband and wife duo of guitarist Larry Campbell and singer Teresa Williams. Jerry, as you are probably well-aware, is the nation's foremost player of the resonator guitar, the instrument that looks like it has a frying pan planted in its midsection, variously known by the famous brand name, Dobro.

It's always great news when Jerry Douglas comes to town. This time, he's coming to the Avalon Theatre in Easton for a show at 8 p.m. Friday along with the Americana laced husband and wife duo of guitarist Larry Campbell and singer Teresa Williams. Jerry, as you are probably well-aware, is the nation's foremost player of the resonator guitar, the instrument that looks like it has a frying pan planted in its midsection, variously known by the famous brand name, Dobro.

An eleven-time time Academy of Country Music "Musician of the Year," he is a permanent fixture with Alison Krauss and Union Station and has guested on 1,600 albums. His collaborations include Yo Yo Ma, Ray Charles, Bob Dylan and The Country Gentlemen. His playing is at times blindingly quick and other times mellifluous, always spellbinding. John Fogerty was once quoted saying: "Jerry is my favorite musician, and I'm including Otis Redding and Elvis in that."

Larry Campbell has also served his tenure as a member of Bob Dylan's band. He also spent close to a decade working with the late Levon Helm of The Band. In addition to displaying precision and "feel" equal to that of Douglas, Larry Campbell also works as an in demand producer for acoustic artists such as David Bromberg, Jorma Kaukonen from Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna, and for Levon Helm's final three acclaimed albums.

Tennessee native Teresa Williams has one of the world's truly golden voices. She took center stage as actor in the musical Keep On the Sunny Side, performing as Sara Carter of the Carter Family. Teresa also performed and recorded in Levon's band, and she delivered earthshaking performances of Grace Slick's vocals on "Somebody to Love" and "White Rabbit" at the LOCKN Festival Airplane 50th Anniversary concert performance a year ago.

Nine of the 19 acts nominated are on the ballot for the first time, with Shakur and Pearl Jam in their first year of eligibility....

The late rapper Tupac Shakur and Seattle-based rockers Pearl Jam are among the first-time nominees on the ballot for induction next year into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Nine of the 19 acts nominated are on the ballot for the first time, with Shakur and Pearl Jam in their first year of eligibility....

(Tribune news services)

On Saturday night at the Sixth & I Synagogue look for another husband and wide duo as Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn perform at 8 p.m. on banjos using various traditional playing styles. Bela plays a traditional three-finger Scruggs style while also incorporating a world of musical influences, including classical and jazz, into his compositions. Abigail features a "claw-hammer" style. The couple released a new Grammy winning album this year. "What can I say about my wife Abby?" expresses Bela in their web promotional interview, "Except that the first time I listened to a CD of her music I started driving so fast that I got pulled over for speeding and was made to walk the line by the men in blue."

Popular roots band The Head and The Heart returns after a two year hiatus with fresh inspiration and a glistening new album. Their tour makes a stop 8 p.m. this Saturday night at DAR Constitution Hall. After critical success and endless touring over a four year period, the members variously traveled to China, Haiti and the Rocky Mountains. One member found himself embedded in hometown Richmond, Virginia. Guitarist Jonathan Russell explains in the band's online bio, "When I found out we were going to have a significant amount of time off, I saw it as an opportunity to touch base again — to listen to what other people were saying and what they were going through," he says. "I really wanted to make sure that I reconnected with a world that was starting to feel farther and farther away." The new release, Signs of Life, is a reflection of that period of traveling and introspection.

On Monday night Rams Head On Stage is the place to be at 7:30 p.m. for a double-bill featuring the Travelin' McCourys along with the Jeff Austin Band as they recreate bluegrass versions of Grateful Dead tunes. Ronnie and Rob McCoury take the reins as their legendary father Del takes some well-deserved time off.

Ronnie McCoury tells of his introduction to Jerry Garcia by David Grisman when they were touring with their group Old and in the Way. The Travelin' McCourys include longtime Del McCoury Band mate Jason Carter on fiddle and Alan Bartram on bass. Former Yonder Mountain String Band member Jeff Austin has a rockin' jamgrass outfit that specializes in long songs and a lot of intense improvisations.

For this unique show, titled the Grateful Ball, each band will play a set and then they'll team up for a set of Dead tunes. In a show press interview, Ronnie relates, "We like to go in and play traditional bluegrass music the way we do it with Dad, but we also like to be able to step into situations where we can really stretch out. If we need to plug in, we'll plug in. We're open to anything." Bound to be an epic Monday night. Don't miss it.

Another rich acoustic based musical experience this week finds Great Big Sea bandleader Alan Doyle returning to Rams Head On Stage 8 p.m. Wednesday for an evening of Newfoundland Celtic and gypsy music inspired tunes from a new solo album titled So Let's Go. The multi-talented musician, actor and producer has also written a recent best-selling memoir about growing up in Newfoundland titled Where I Belong (2014). As actor, Doyle has been seen in the film Winter's Tale and on television episodes of Law and Order.

Michael Buckley, is writer, producer and host of "The Sunday Brunch" 7 to 10 a.m. each week on 103.1 WRNR-FM. Contact him at voicesofthebay@aol.com .